President Trump laid out a plan for combating the opioid epidemic during a speech Monday in New Hampshire, and one of his proposals would make it easier for local treatment facilities to provide beds for inpatient addiction care.
Under federal law, Medicaid will not pay for inpatient addiction treatment in a facility with more than 16 beds.
President Trump is calling for a lift on that limit, among other measures.
Orlando Howard of St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland said because of the current limit, they have trouble finding bed for people in recovery after five days of detox at St. Vincent.
“Some of these individuals need to be taken out of the environment that they’re used to using in and put in a clean, safe, conducive environment that will be a benefit to their recovery," Howard said.
Howard said the 16-bed limit is one reason St. Vincent doesn’t offer long-term inpatient treatment.
The president’s other measures included stiffer penalties for drug dealers, funding for non-addictive pain medication and an anti-opioids advertising campaign.
